The centerpiece of the Army’s operational doctrine is no longer FM 3-0, “Operations,” it is FM 3-24, “Counterinsurgency.” The full implications of this shift are, as yet, unknown, but the conventional wisdom that the era of battles and wars of decision — as Clausewitz described them in “On War” — is a thing of the past seems to have prevailed.

http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2008/01/3207722

Col Gentile makes some very interesting points which might be even clearer if expressed by analogy.

1. The current COIN doctrine is like pulling a pig out of the mud but it assumes that the pig wants to come out of the mud or that the reward that you are offering to the pig for coming out of the mud is as attractive to the pig as it is to you.

1.A. It also assumes that the mud isn't resisting the pig leaving.

2. In fact, COIN warfare is like pulling a pig out of a python. It doesn't matter how much the pig might want to get out if the python wants to keep it badly enough.

2.A. The trick to pulling a pig out of a python is in convincing the python that the pig isn't worth fighting for. After that you will have a very co-operative pig and a python that isn't any more trouble.

3. Even if you ARE pulling a pig out of the mud, there are several ways of doing it.

3.A. You can use a rope that isn't long enough to let you stay clear of the mud and then quit when you get dirty. (This one is the favourite of the '30 second sound bite' crowds of all political leanings.)

3.B. You can use an adequate rope, drag the pig forecably clear of the mud, let go, and watch the pig bolt back into the mud. (This one lets you "proclaim victory" quickly and also blame the fact that the pig is back in the mud on someone else. THEREFORE it is "politically useful".)

3.C. You can use an adequate rope, not pull at all, take up the strain whenever the pig moves closer to the edge of the mud, and watch the pig slowly come out of the mud as if it was all the pig's idea. (This one takes a long time and doesn't look like you are really doing anything. THEREFORE it is "politically indefensible".)

3.D. For really unfriendly pigs, you can get down in the mud, try to push the pig deeper into it, let the pig win by pushing you out of the mud, and watch the pig forevermore resist any attempt to lure it back into the mud. (This one is duplicitous. THEREFORE it "just isn't done".) [It's also harder than hell to do well.]

4. HOWEVER, it is never a good idea to attempt to pull a pig out of either the mud or a python if you aren't really sure of the meaning of "pull", "pig", "out", "of", "mud", or "python". (Unfortunately this is something that is completely ignored by those who think that "I have a goal." means the same thing as "I have a plan.")